Please Smile
by He-Jay
Summary: The world always looks brighter from behind a smile. Your smile always brightens my world. I'll keep smiling too, for you. So don't leave me. Please. (No Ara here.)
1. Responsibilities Of An Elf Of Light

There he was, a confident, relaxed boy with a mane of wild hair the colour of fire only checked by a few little sprigs wrapped in white cords, in addition to the cluster of belts and other trinkets that jangled by his wrists and waist every time he took a step. He looked totally self-assured, carefree…that is, until a girl roughly his age began pulling on his miniature ponytail.

"Elsword! I told you to stop leaving your stuff lying around the house!" Aisha scolded, catching herself in time from tripping. Behind her floated her faithful bat companion, Angor. "How many times have I told you to clean your room?"

"Shut up, Aisha." he responded idly, fidgeting with the handle of his sword. "At least I have the sense not to trip over my own feet."

"Augh! It's these…shoes! These clothes!" She huffed. "It's not like I _like_ wearing them, it's just…"

The bat sidled up to her, its golden eyes glittering ominously. "Princess does not want to wear these clothes? Has Princess forgotten her contract already?" It flew into Aisha's face, flapping its wings frantically._ "Princess has no right to violate the contract!"_

"No, no, of course not!" She waved her arms, trying to calm the bat. "I promised to be your Void Princess, didn't I?" She reached up and squeezed Angkor into a hug. "Don't worry, you'll stay in the human world forever, and I'll always wear this!" With a shudder, the creature finally calmed, snuggling into the princess's arms. "So cute~"

"Yeah, unlike you. I think I'll take a nap by the tree…" He grumbled. His eyes naturally followed to her chest, which was barely covered by a purple and pink tube top with a small cross in the middle. "Even with all that, you know Rena-Noona still has bigger ones than yours." He yawned.

"What? Rena-Unni's…" Following his gaze, she instantly realized what the Rune Slayer was talking about. "YOU SHAMELESS IDIOT! Angor, attack!" She jabbed her wand at the pervert and prepared to whack him with her staff when–

"My what? What are you two yelling about?" A soft, mature voice piped up. Within a few seconds, a tall golden-haired elf stepped out from the house into the field, looking at them wearily.

"Ah, Rena-Unni!" Aisha straightened up immediately, giving her best smile. "We weren't talking much, we were just talking about your…" she stomped on Elsword's foot.

"Uh, yeah, that's right!" They were treading on dangerous waters now; an army of monsters was better than a seething Rena. "We were talking about your bow, which looks really awesome, and…we'd like to spar with you!" Aisha's not-so-subtle punch told him that he'd said the completely wrong answer. The two cringed, waiting for further questions and probing.

However, they never came. Instead, Rena gave a slight smile, said, "Maybe later…I have some unfinished business to take care of.", and rushed towards the forest that stood just near the edge of the field without a backward look, leaving the two confused and bewildered. The sometimes-too-motherly elf would insist on getting down the root of every issue no matter the significance, and now she'd just brushed them off when they were talking about…

"She's been going to the forest a lot lately, hasn't she?" Aisha mused quietly.

"It's an elf thing. The forest has always been her home, I guess." He shrugged. "Noona's probably just uncomfortable with living in a human home for so long."

"Yes, but still…"

"Princess, do I still attack this human boy?"

"Hm? Wha..? Oh yes, I've forgotten! Thank you, Angor!" She petted him fondly before turning back to Elsword with a devilish grin. "Attack him till he is brought to his knees! Maybe then he'll learn how to properly treat a lady!" She readied her staff. "Hell Drop!"

"Ha! You're anything but a lady!" He gracefully jumped back, his hand ready to fire. "Exploding Rune!" Magic clashed against magic, which meant a lot of mana pointlessly wasted and the beautiful grassy field turned into a warzone. Rena was not going to like that…at all.

Thankfully, the Nasod happened to be floating from the market; it was her turn to bring in groceries for the week. Her servants trailed behind her, carrying bags of food in their arms while Moby and Remy droned about. She looked upon the battle with distaste.

"No one," she murmured quietly, "is to engage in such senseless and vulgar behaviour in the presence of an empress. Oberon, Ophelia, stop them at once. Give me the groceries, I shall carry them." Oberon hesitated, as if he didn't want his queen to carry such a heavy load. "Oberon, your system must have malfunctioned; you do not seem to respond to my command. Shall I run some tests?" At that, Oberon quickly handed over the bags, and scrambled after Ophelia towards the field.

The Nasod was able to carry the bags for a time, but her arms quickly tired as she dragged them into the house, with Moby and Remy attempting to help their mistress by tugging on some of the shopping bags. She considered calling back her servants for assistance when Chung waltzed in from the basement. "Hello, Eve!" He called out cheerily. "I don't want to bother you, but can you take a look at my Freiturnier? The main power source is acting all funny again…"

In truth, Eve was not bothered at all, but a Queen always had to retain her dignity. "As you wish. But first you must– I mean, I require that you first place these foodstuffs in a convenient place for the others to locate, cook, and consume at their leisure. Then I will have the time to repair your weapon."

"Thanks, Eve!" The Paladin smiled, which made Eve's Nasod Central Core flare up briefly before he turned to the groceries. "Gee, you've sure bought a lot. Now where does Rena-Noona put the milk…? Hey, Hyung! Do you know where the milk is supposed to go?" He shouted upstairs. He shouted louder, "Hy-u-u-u-ng!"

"Your voice does not need to be at its maximum level. Shall I retrieve him?"

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'll just put everything where I think it goes." Having little experiences with cupboard and refrigerators as he had grown a prince, he started stuffing everything into whatever spaces he could find: the pork in the top cubby, potatoes in the freezer, baking flour in the freezer…

"Chung."

"Let's see…I think this goes in the fridge...?"

"Chung."

"No, wait…Hyung said that this was some preserve-thing…so the freezer!"

"Chung, I believe that is the incorrect place." The Empress stepped in, and started re-arranging the food to their proper places. "This animal flesh does not last in normal temperature, and these hard lumps will be deemed inedible by humans if placed in a freezing temperature. I am unsure about this 'milk'…but my sensors indicate that it will garner an unpleasant aroma if left in normal temperature."

"Then freezer it is!" He stuffed the carton into the freezer. "You're really smart, Eve."

She smiled; an expression that popped up often as a result of being with everyone. Even if she was the last Nasod, she wasn't alone. There was Chung, Elsword, Aisha, Raven (Even if he still didn't completely trust her), Rena…

"Have you seen Rena? Her absence is…perceptible." Indeed, there was rarely a day when the elf didn't barge out, welcoming everyone with her hugs and laughter.

"Rena-Noona? No, I think she went to the forest, though." He scratched his head. "But I'm sure she'll be back in time for dinner. Does this go in the cupboard?"

"I…believe so. Few substances that are in powder form require a low temperature."

As the two were arranging the food in their rightful places (or so they believed), Eve's Nasod servants came in, dragging in a battered Void Princess and a Rune Slyer, the latter yowling noisily as Ophelia firmly restrained him. "Damn it let go! Let go, you stupid Nasod! I thought you're supposed to be with Eve!"

Irritated that the hot-headed boy continued to create such a fuss, Eve put down the bread and slapped him in the face.

"Ow! Damn it Eve, stop slapping me!"

"Your temperamental behaviour calls for such comeuppance. I will not tolerate rudeness to my servant as well as for myself. Ophelia, Oberon, you may release them." Aisha and Elsword tumbled to the floor, grumbling. "If you wish to hone your combat skills, the practice field is at the back. You are aware the side field is not part of the combat zone, correct?"

"Yeah, yeah." He got up, dusting off the sides of his pants. "I might as well– oh, Hyung." He nodded at Raven, who had come down the stairs with his typical impassive expression.

"Mm. Anything I miss?"

"Unless you regard the childish brawl of these two children important, nothing of significance has been missed." Eve assured before turning to her Nasod servants, commanding them to arrange the rest of the groceries. Moby and Remy must have found the two 'ears' on Chung's hair a profound oddity as the two whizzed around him, nipping at them playfully.

"Ouch!" he squeaked when Remy pulled one too hard. "Please, be careful." Gently pulling his 'ear' out of its grasp, he patted the little Nasod.

Sternly Eve stopped that. "Moby, Remy, cease that at once!"

"Haha, it's okay Eve. They don't mean any harm." He laughed. "If you're still busy, I can…"

Her lips twitched into a slight smile. "No, I will take a look at the power source; it is possible that the Freiturnier's processing unit is jammed. Come." With a wave, she walked towards the left hallway, where the Lab Room stood at the fifth-right room.

"Yeah, coming…yow! Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Chung hurried after her, with Moby and Remy yanking on his 'ears' to quicken his speed. Oberon and Ophelia even left the kitchen counter squeaky clean before zooming after their empress.

"…Remember what Eve said before?" Aisha sighed dreamily.

"Uh…'you insolent fools, know your place in front of a queen'?"

"No, what she said after!"

"'I am the Queen of Nasods'?"

Aisha smacked his head. "Idiot, she said, 'Nasods do not have emotions. My race is incapable of childish feelings.'" She squealed. "Now look how she is with Chung!"

"Yeah…I don't see any difference."

Aisha gave him the Are-you-seriously-that-stupid-to-not-notice-such-things? look before stomping out with Angkor.

"Girls…" he muttered, shaking his head. He turned to Raven, "What did I do?"

He ruffled the boy's red hair with his human hand. "Give her time. You two are still practically children."

"Hmph."

Raven chuckled; the two were so cute together. "Don't stress about it, kid. You've got–" He stopped off as a familiar pain began to throb in his other arm. &#$%, why was it acting up again so soon? He tried to suppress it using his calming techniques. "Where's Rena?"

"Out in the forest again. Guess the house's too stuffy for her."

His eyebrows creased; it had been like that for a while now. Even a month ago the longest she would disappear was for half a day, usually for a mission. Now she would disappear for almost a whole day, looking grim and worried, but she'd always put on a cheerful smile saying, "I'm just a bit tired." or "It's nothing important." She didn't even care about things that happened as much as she used to, responding with an "Is that so? That's great." But perhaps it wasn't as noticeable to the others, who all agreed that Rena could be a bit too maternal sometimes. After all, she still beamed and hugged them like they were her favourite people in the world, and cooked lots of food (that had no meat, of course…)

"I see. I'll be heading out, then." Raven first headed to his room, where he downed a few pills and attached a couple of power cores to his Nasod Arm that acted as sedatives, calming his Nasod Arm. For now. Even as a Reckless Fist, his arm was so often wracked with pain that it was getting harder and harder to keep his control. But he had to. Maintaining sanity was essential.

* * *

There was no need to hack his way through the thick forest; even the trees seemed to recoil from him in fear of his arm that wasn't really his arm. The arm was now a living part of him, and it certainly wasn't happy being mindlessly used like any other limb. It wanted _control_. Raven could feel it fighting him, taunting him. His rage was its fuel. It was up to the little part in him that was still human to keep it at bay.

She was standing in front of a little spring, engaged in a serious and intense conversation with another person that Raven couldn't make out. Careful not to make the slightest leave rustle, he leaned slightly forwards to catch the words.

"…and you cannot delay this any longer. I have been too lenient; the Council is becoming restless."

"But…but…"

"Rena." The voice was that of a male's but it was soft and pleading. "I have seen how you have changed with your friends. You feel it your duty to fight with them, to care for them. I assure that the council has everything set; they will send in another elven warrior to take your place, one that is as capable as you."

"Then surely that elf can also replace me in what they want?" Her voice was bitter.

"Lire is a skilled Archer, but she does not wield the wisdom and power you have acquired through your years. She is hardly fifteen in human years! It is also a good opportunity for her. Do not make this harder than it already is, Rena."

Silence.

"You…have a special bond with the Nasod Hybrid, do you not?"

Her head jerked up, startled and defensive. "He is not a hybrid!"

Overhearing all this, Raven resisted the urge to crush Rena's less-than-polite companion, but at the same time felt a twinge of gratitude for Rena. After all, they did have relationship that was…special. 'Passionate Lovers' sounded too ridiculous, 'Dating' sounded silly. But whenever they were together, Raven would feel his rage replaced by a warm feeling that he believed he'd never feel again after Seris's…well, the past was past. Now, Rena was the one most precious to him; the best times were when the two of them would lie out in the fields quietly enjoying the morning sun. Not that they did it much anymore.

"As you wish. But that is unimportant; this is enough. You have been ordered to return to the Elven Dimension, which is also your home to take part of the High Elven Guard as a Grand Archer. Your absence will not cause any harm. Lire is a competent warrior who, like you, have a high tolerance for humans. The deadline was last week, and we can delay no longer. Tomorrow sunset, we will escort you home."

"My home is here." Raven could tell from her voice that she was furious. "I am a Grand Archer of Elrios and I refuse to leave!"

"Fool!" Now he was angry as well. "The El may have been restored, but the current state of our world still hangs unstable at the balance! You have already learned the cost of being careless with important matters such as these! If things are taken lightly, everything may naught and all of us, including you, will disappear permanently!"

"I don't…" she began uncertainly.

"…You have one day to pack your belongings and say your farewells. I shall see you soon, Grand Archer Rena. You are dismissed." he said curtly.

Raven peeked from a tree in time to see an image of an older male elf hovering just above the pool in a misty form with a disapproving and pitying look. Rena waved her hand, and the misty image dissipated, leaving her alone.

From her face, one would think she'd burst into tears. However, Rena kept firm, her sadness only betrayed by the doleful light in her eyes that she could not banish. After staring at her reflection in the pond, she stood up, her expression unfathomable. The wings of her Grand Archer uniform fluttered restlessly.

"How long have you been there?" She asked the figure standing behind a tree not too far away from her.

"Not much, but enough." The Reckless Fist stepped out, wondering why she hadn't called him sooner. "That didn't seem like a very happy conversation."

"No, it was not." She looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. "I have been called to return to the elven world, where I am to become an Archer of the Royal Elven Army."

"…So you're leaving?" No…she couldn't. Everyone needed her here. He needed her. Who else could help keep his sanity intact? He stepped forward and grabbed her arm. "Look at me. You said your home was here. You've already been here for so long, so why are they making you go now?"

"The El…dimension instabilities…a lot of things." She attempted to free herself from his grip, then gave up when he didn't budge. She looked up and smiled. "Hey, what's with that look?" She gently lifted her hand to his scarred, callused face. "Don't be like that…you never do smile much, Raven. You always look better when you smile…I wish I could see more of it."

"Don't change the subject."

She sighed, and said, "The Forest has many insidious ears." Her winged circlets fluttered faintly to emphasize her words. "It is not the best place to talk about this."

Exhaling deeply, he let go. "Later, then. Don't forget."

"Sure, sure." she responded in a placating tone as she put her arms around him briefly. Raven did the same, savouring the warmth. When they parted, she beamed again at him, but Raven knew her well enough to know that it was not wholly genuine. With a little twirl, she lightly skipped towards the way she came.

Alone again, Raven quietly surveyed the little pond which Rena had used to communicate with the other elf. Seeing his own reflection, he tried to smile, which resembled more of a pained grimace. How did it make him look better?

* * *

I just took a shot at making this Fanfic. If you like it, great!

If you don't like it, still great! You can tell me how to make it better :) You can try flaming me if you want xD

*Noona = what a younger boy says to his older sister  
Hyung = what a younger boy says to his older brother  
Unni = what a younger girl says to her older sister  
Oppa = what a younger girl says to her older brother -This is how Koreans address each other :3


	2. Allow Me To Fix Your Womanly Appearance

I originally had this story as a one-shot drabble, but turns out a lot of people liked it so much, I decided to add another chapter! Isn't that wonderful?

* * *

"_The tests are complete." At those words, he jumped down, allowing Oberon to pull off the remaining wires and straps from his Nasod arm. Ophelia stood by her Queen, holding out his shirt. Fluorescent lights glared harshly on the windowless area, where giant hunks of machinery took up most of the space in the Lab Room._

"_So?" He asked indifferently. "What's my status?"_

_Already used to his aloofness, Eve wasted no words. She gestured to Ophelia, who retrieved two bottles, one filled with small circular objects that looked like blue marbles and the other with medicinal pills. "Consume at least two of these whenever you feel your rage too influential. It will help repress it."_

"_I can 'repress' it on my own, thanks." He grumbled as he put his shirt back on._

_Eve shook her head. "You misunderstand me. That," she pointed at his arm, "gains strength every time your heart is blinded with what humans call 'anger' and 'hatred.' The mechanism of which __the Ponggos have__ grante__d you to channel your emotions have worked well, but you were aware even then that it would not last forever. I am surprised that you have managed this far. However, even higher measures of caution are recommended in order to sustain your senses. You will need to take them frequently judging from your condition, so I suggest that–"_

"_No!" He slammed his hand on the sterile counter, jolting her Nasod servants into surrounding their mistress protectively. Moby and Remy growled warningly. "I can take care of this arm myself. I'll just have to improve on channeling my rage into power. I don't even know why I agreed to this, you can keep the pills. The arm–"_

"–_is no longer just a limb that grants you power." Despite the atmosphere having taken a nosedive, she remained maddeningly composed. "It is a living thing which is vying for control of your body and mind as we speak. It is a malevolent parasite that will tempt you in your weakest moments, and will replace your being with that of a mindless Nasod slave you once were before Elsword and his friends rescued you. If you are not careful, it may be irreversible. Permanent." She pointed to the counter, which now had a huge smoking crater._

"_You will be no different than a corrupted minion of the former Nasod King."_

_That struck Raven dumb; he thought he had braced for the worst results possible, but..."You're a Nasod Queen, can't you do anything about it?"_

_She smiled vaguely, "Even an Empress has her limits. If at an earlier stage perhaps...but the arm has developed as such that it has already become a full part of you, and I have no desire to put your life at risk." Taking the two bottles, she held them out to the Reckless Fist. "I urge you to take them, just in case. This is the most I can help you with. Whether you take them is up to you. But you must realize that these medications are not for your well-being alone."_

_He looked up; he hadn't realized he'd been staring at the floor. "What?"_

"_Our group is very much similar to a Human Family Unit, perhaps even closer in terms of amity and trust. And you, Raven, are a valued member of this Family Unit. Elsword looks up to you. He, Aisha and Chung have openly stated that they consider you an 'older brother.' Even I, whom you openly mistrust, believe you a dependable comrade. Rena..." Here she paused, frowning slightly. "... I cannot understand, but there is more between you and her than all of us..."_

_Despite the tension, he still felt his face flaring up._

"_You are trusted. You are loved. I advise you to not let those sentiments go to waste by foolishly giving yourself to the arm. So take them." She nodded to the two containers, still outstretched towards him. "I only regret that I cannot do more."_

_He swallowed hard, but took them from Eve's extended hand, clearing his throat before grunting, "Thanks."_

"_You are most welcomed." she replied. "There is no more for me to say, especially at such a late hour. I shall return to my capsule for repose. Is there anything else you request?"_

"_Yeah, just one more..."_

"_Speak."_

"_Just...don't tell the others. Especially Rena." He plunked himself onto the ruined counter, looking away._

"_That is a __pointless concern; what has occurred tonight stays in your mind and my memory files alone." She floated out of the room, stopping only to close the door of Elsword's room, where a deafening snore could be heard._

* * *

He tried not to take them, though. Only when the pain became beyond unbearable and the risks were too high to take, because taking them was like admitting to the pain, that he was weak. But the rage always seemed to evaporate from his mind whenever he was with her. She made him smile in a way that was singular from the others, and it made the whole Arm-is-going-to-take-over-my-mind thing actually tolerable. How much more difficult would it get if she were to depart?

He shuffled out of the forest; there was nothing to do there. He didn't feel like going back to the house either, as the pills on his table would only remind him of his limitations. Instead, he trotted off towards the field where he spent most of his sunny afternoons when he wasn't occupied with a mission or some other business. He chose the grassiest place he could find and closed his eyes, trying to doze off. He could hear some banging sounds in the lower floor of their dwelling; Aisha and Elsword must be at it again. Hopefully Eve and Chung could keep them under control...

Raven guessed that he had been snoozing for at least an hour before she came. Her dress rustled delicately against her skin as she seated herself beside him, an ever-present smile. He knew she was there, but he continued to feign sleep as her hand ran through his hair, lightly combing a few tangles with her fingers. It felt nice.

"You should really fix your hair." She muttered, believing that he could not hear.

"What, so I can comb the monsters to death?" He chuckled. "That's a fun thought."

"It's unruly." She playfully scolded. "If you're going to kill monsters, at least the last thing they'll see is an attractive face."

He laughed; the thought alone was ridiculous.

"There! See?" She bent over so her face was hovering directly over his. "You smile so rarely, but when you do, it's the most beautiful smile in the world."

He looked towards her, mirth giving way to something wistful. Leave it to Rena to find the beauty in something as simple as a smile. He'd once teased her about seeing the good in everyone and everything. "If everyone was like you, the world would be a paradise; Glitters and Nasods would marry and live happily ever after." He'd said.

Mistaking his silence for irritation, she tried to amend, "That is, if you want to. I didn't mean to offend you–" Her words stilled into a squeak as a hand pulled her downwards so that she lied directly on top of Raven.

"…idiot."

"What?"

"Let's stay like this…just for a bit…"

And something about the tone of his voice compelled Rena to nod and relax, who would've playfully brushed it off at any other time. "Okay."

There were no missions or monsters to interrupt the two as they lay sprawled on the grassy pasture, savouring the peace. Listening to Raven's steady heartbeat, Rena casually snuggled closer to him, lightly closing her eyes. It felt so good to lie in the sun, forgetting all the problems and troubles that she'd been having with the elven clan and–

"Hey…"

"Hm?"

"You're not really leaving…are you?"

Of course he wasn't going to let this go easy. She was glad he couldn't directly look at her face. Finding herself unable to reassure with soothing words that could turn out to be empty lies, she opted for silence, hoping that he'd get the hint and drop the subject.

"I know you're awake."

"And I thought we agreed that this was a conversation for later."

"You did. And that 'later' is now." He insisted.

She sighed; Raven's persistence was not something to be trifled with. Truth was, she knew she had to go back; the time would have come sooner or later and she had known it from the moment she had chosen to follow her elven origins. She had given up on her kicks, having chosen to follow her elders' advice in perfecting her shooting, becoming a Sniping Ranger. When they bestowed upon her the honourable title of a Grand Archer, already they were giving her subtle hints that she should return to her birthplace…permanently. Elven culture deemed it disgraceful that an elf in her position would refuse to return to her homeland, sharing her knowledge and skills with potential warriors to carry on the great legacy of her people.

If she disobeyed, she'd be branded a _bae'sinja_*, or traitor. A nonviolent race, the elves wouldn't kill her. But they'd revoke her title, renounce her being, and it would give them all the more reason to hate humans, who "had the audacity to bewitch and turn one against her own kind", as one Elder had put it.

But she wouldn't betray her race. Couldn't. They created her, raised her, and taught her everything she knew. But at the same time, she found the idea of leaving her friends just as difficult. But maybe, just maybe, it would work out. Elsword was still searching for his blood sister, Elsa. Chung was also waiting for his father's summons, so he could finally return and officially become the crown prince. Separation was inevitable, but they'd still be together. Maybe.

"Raven?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to sleep."

That wasn't an answer the Reckless Fist was expecting, so he said something really intelligent like "Uhhhh...okay."

"Good." She smiled sweetly as she rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes.

Raven sighed in exasperation, but he simply ran a hand through her hair. He doubted whether the elf was actually sleeping, but having the elf safe and secure in his arms was enough for now. The effect was better than any sedative; he had never felt more at peace.

* * *

"So what's wrong with it? Is it okay?" He asked, worry clearly etched on his face.

"...When was the last time you had replaced the power generator?"

"Oh." He scratched his head, abashed. "I...uh...don't remember."

"Chung, the systems indicate that the generator was to have been refurbished over a month ago. Please ensure that this does not again." she lightly scolded. "It would be a waste to let such machinery go to waste." she ran a hand through the surface of the now-fixed Freiturnier. "System Check...all green."

"I'll...I'll try to be more careful." Chung stammered as he bent over to pick up his beloved weapon, which sent a tinge of regret through the Empress; perhaps it had been unnecessary to deliver the warning too harshly.

"Pardon my wording." she mumbled. When the Paladin turned to look at her, she had her head tilted slightly to the side, examining him as if he were a fascinating piece of technology. Moby and Remy were still poking at his ears, but that no longer bothered Eve. Wondering what the Nasod Queen was thinking now (she tended to be a bit unpredictable at times), Chung withered at the careful scrutiny.

"Er...you can blink once in a while, I'd still be here." he supplied helpfully.

She blinked. "Ah, yes...I am merely curious about the way you have arranged your hair."

"My...my hair?" He repeated, bewildered.

"You are male, correct?" She was looking at him with a peculiar glint in her eyes that somehow sent a shiver down his spine.

"...yeah...?"

"Then I recommend that your hair be eliminated."

"_What!_" He backed away. "But...I l-like my hair the way it is!"

"Oh no, an utterly hairless look will not suit you, I am aware. Moby and Remy have a particular fondness for your 'ears', they should remain intact." She smiled, but to Chung it looked like the sort of grin an anaconda would give before devouring its prey. "Your excess of hair often gives others the misconception that you are a woman warrior instead of the kingly guardian you are." She clapped her hands. "Oberon!"

Chung looked like he was about to faint when the Nasod servant appeared, ominously wielding a pair of sharp blades in his hands. "Uh, Eve? I'm not a king, I'm..."

"Oberon, cut off his hair until he no longer looks as womanly. Make sure that– stop right there, Chung!" she shouted as he made a run for it. Not an overly skilled runner, she turned to her servants. "Oberon, Ophelia, capture him at once and bring him to me!"

Now left with her two battle units, the queen idly stroked Moby's head, then began to check the systems and mechanical pieces she had amassed in their many adventures. The revival of the Nasod race was still essential.

"Now...where was the El..."

* * *

It wasn't stalking.

It was an accident! She certainly didn't know that Raven and Rena would be there, sleeping. Together. With his arm around her.

She had been taking a walk, and just happened to see them. But still, it was nice to know that Raven could make a face that wasn't scowling. Both of them looked relaxed, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

She wasn't_ jealous_...of course not. Raven was a good comrade, a reliable fighter, but sometimes he was...scary. Especially with the arm. He was certainly attractive, yes, but...well. It was good that they had found happiness with each other. Raven had been pretty crazy over Seris, his former fiancée, and...and...She wasn't thinking coherently. They were perfect together, so why would she suddenly feel sad?

"Princess is not happy." it observed.

"..." she did not reply, and when Angor turned to look at its mistress. She was sitting on a thick tree branch that was a considerable distance from the ground, a faraway look in her eyes. Halfheartedly she stretched her hand, forming a small flicker of purple fire, than extinguished it just as absentmindedly. She gave a huge sigh, and then suddenly gathered Angor into her arms, hugging it tightly.

"Princess~!" It wheezed, gasping for air as it helplessly flapped its wings. "Princess is trying to kill me?"

"N-no, of course not." She released the bat, resorting to petting it softly. "I just..."

"H~e~y, Aisha~" A loud, obnoxious voice rang out.

"Elsword!" she hissed. Sure enough, the Rune Slayer was moseying towards the tree where she sat, loudly calling out her name. She quickly turned towards Raven and Rena, who were still miraculously asleep. They wouldn't be for long though, if the idiot redhead kept yelling. "Shut _up!_"

"Aisha?" he looked up, and lo and behold, there was the Void Princess, her cheeks puffed out in irritation. "Hi Aisha!"

She raised a finger to her lips. "Be quiet! They're sleeping! Don't you have any manners?"

"What? Who's sleeping?" He yelled out even louder. "They should be training, not sleeping!"

"Ugh, that is _it!_" Using the branch as a launch pad, she sprang off the branch towards a startled Elsword. "Are you seriously that deaf, you idiot?!"

"Oh...you're still mad?" was all he could get out before she dived into him, bringing him down with a magnificently executed tackle. He could feel her hands grabbing at his face, leaving him no other choice than to fight back lest she cut off his air supply. "Ugh, let go, stupid! I can't breathe!"

In the chaos, both of them had unintentionally let go of their weapons, which led the two to engage in some good old-fashioned wrestling. Unless in extremely rare circumstances, unrestrained grappling is not usually done in quiet silence. All the birds took off from their trees as grunts and yells erupted in the air. The ruckus woke up the other couple, who thought that some monster had attacked their home. Hurriedly fumbling with their weapons, they ran towards the source of the commotion, yelling, "Aisha! Elsword! We're coming!"

"Shit! It's Noona!" Elsword stopped fighting, his face turning pale. "She's gonna kill us!"

"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Aisha also stopped wrestling, her back flat on the ground. "She was right here and you had to–"

"We're here!" They charged in, expecting a horde of monsters and enemy forces. Instead, they saw Aisha lying on the earth, with Elsword on top of her. Their hair was messy and their clothes looked like it could use a good wash. Both of them were sweaty and in disarray, their weapons strewn some distance away. Angor was squealing around them frantically.

Silence.

"R-Rena-Unni!" Aisha said in a fake casual voice. "We, uh, didn't, mean to..."

"What is the meaning of this?" The Archer said softly.

Raven laughed. "Guess they're starting to grow up. Sorry to bother you two, keep at it." he turned to the elf. "Let's go inside."

"But–"

"They're not kids anymore." He patted her shoulder. "They'll learn on their own."

"Still...how quickly they've matured..." she sniffed.

"What? What?" Elsword looked around, confused.

"You two finally admitted to liking each other! How wonderful!" She beamed, then slightly frowned. "I suggest that you do these kind of things in privacy, though..."

"Huh...?" The two adolescents stared at each other, then it suddenly dawned upon them of what their current position implied.

"NO!" They yelled, scrambling to their feet. "It's not what it looks like!"

"They're embarrassed~ how cute!"

"HELP ME!" At that moment, Chung came barreling out with Oberon and Ophelia in hot pursuit. "Hyung! Noona! I don't want to get a haircut! Make them stop!"

"Master Chung, it is for your own good." Ophelia assured. "Her Lady Empress is only concerned for the welfare of her comrade. Please do not make this harder than it is!"

* * *

Funny thing is, I can actually see this happening in my head like an anime. Stories that can paint a picture in your mind is already a great story, yes?  
_bae'sinja_ = an elven word I made up. It actually means "traitor" in Korean as well!


	3. Savour What Little Time Is Left With Us

_Snip, snip._

"Don't cut it too much please, Noona."

_Snip, snip, snip._

"Certainly, dear." She reassured in a cheerful tone, wielding the shears with delicate precision as bits of russet-coloured hair dropped onto the white tiles. "Try not to move too much, the back part is…"

"Aw Chung, I actually liked the meat-grinder look." Leaning against the wall, the Rune Slayer had his arms crossed with a mischievous grin. "It's a lot better than that other girly style."

Grumbling darkly under his breath, Chung turned towards the irritating redhead. "Why're you here?"

Yes, the paladin was actually allowing his hair to be cut this time.

"Moral support?" He shrugged his shoulders. "If I stayed with Eve she'd find another excuse to slap my face off. You're much better."

"But shouldn't you be with Aisha?"

He flushed. "I told you, it was not what it looked like!"

To make an infinitely long and gruesome story short, Eve's servants succeeding in carrying out their mistress's command. Despite the intricate coding they were programmed with, however, both Oberon and Ophelia had rather...minimal knowledge and skill in the expertise of a true hairdresser. By the time the rest of the team managed to subdue them, Chung's hair looked like it had been through a weed whacker, incinerator, and chainsaw combined. No mirror was required to assess the damage; Chung had bolted himself in his room and refused to budge till Rena promised to fix him up (along with a few subtle threats to break down the door.)

"Elsword, stop teasing him! Just a bit more to go..." In truth, Rena was no barber. But a pair of scissors was one of many tools she'd learned to use at a considerable level, and unbeknownst to Chung, she was using her Nature spirits to replenish some parts. The spirits were powerful, but even the strongest had little talent in growing hair, so Rena was using them sparingly. Thankfully, the boy did not notice that parts of his hair were magically growing back. If Elsword noticed, he didn't point it out.

"Are you still pissed at Eve?" The Rune Slayer was asking as the elf fixed a bald patch.

_Snip, Snip. _"Wouldn't you be annoyed if Aisha burned off your hair?" To Rena, "Is it almost over?"

"Sure, I'd be pissed, but hey, the poor girl's got the right idea: if you're a boy, you should look like one."

"Elsword, I swear, if you–"

"If you keep squirming Chung, it'll look even worse."

"S-sorry." He stopped fidgeting, but he continued to glower at Elsword.

"Hair grows back, Chung." Rena soothed in her motherly tone. "And Eve's still adjusting to the current world; she probably believed she was doing the right thing."

"She thought it was the right thing to destroy someone's hair?"

Rena carefully combed his hair, searching for other tangles. "Eve is a Nasod; she doesn't see things the way a human does. All of this is new to her."

"Noona, you're siding with her?" He pouted like a child.

"No, dear." She said with a touch of exasperation. "I said she has a lot to learn, not that she's blameless. No doubt Aisha is scolding her as we speak."

Chung gave an involuntarily shudder; although not nearly as terrifying as Rena, the Void Princess had a sharp tongue she could wield with a vengeance.

"Even an empress has faults." She assured. _Snip!_ "Okay, that looks better! What do you think?" Setting the shears on the table, the elf nabbed a mirror and held it to his face.

For a few moments, there was total silence as Chung took in his new look. His former Iron Paladin look was completely gone. His hair was wild, spiky– yet somewhat natural. [Deadly Chaser] Despite it being in a wild disarray like Elsword's hair, there was an elegance underlying the rebellious stance. Even the Rune Slayer raised his thumb in approval. "Nice."

"H-how did you…wow…thanks, Noona!"

"Mhm, I think it suits you pretty good!" Rena giggled, patting her handiwork.

"Yeah, he actually looks manly." The redhead tousled the younger boy's hair, grinning as he earned himself another death glare. Then his face abruptly became serious. "I need to talk to all of you guys about something important. Can you call the others?"

"Ah, I have something to say, too. The Hamel kingdom–"

"Let's all meet in the living room, shall we?" The elf turned, feigning engrossment in cleaning up the equipment. "I have a feeling that you two aren't the only ones with important things to discuss."

* * *

As soon as all six members (excluding Eve's many servants) were gathered around the table, Elsword took up the floor. As usual, he went straight to the point. "I want to look for Noona."

"She's right there." Aisha helpfully pointed towards Rena.

He slapped his hand against his forehead. "No, you idiot! I mean _my_ Noona. Elsa? My sister who left for a mission and never came back?"

Raven nodded, recalling that the Rune Slayer had started his quest for two reasons: to find his sister and the El. "So, do you know where she is?"

"…no."

"And so where do you plan to search first?"

"East."He replied promptly. "That's where she was supposed to go. If not, I'll retrace my steps to Velder, start over again. I'll search everywhere if I have to. I just…" He shook his head, struggling for the right words. "…she's not dead. She's still out there; I can feel it."

"So you're going to Pluone?"

"Sure, I mean, if you guys want to come with me, great, but if you can't, whatever." The Rune Slayer shrugged, seemingly indifferent.

"Well, it just so happens that Father…"

…

"So, you guys in?"

"Yeah! Hamel's on our way South, I can talk to Father about it."

"Great! So we take our rounds through the villages, then take an airship. We can ask Emirate and Penensio to keep an eye out." Elsword grinned. "It'll be another adventure! And the rest of you guys?"

"You have aided me in eliminating the corrupted Nasods and offered friendship to an outsider. A Queen cannot allow herself to be indebted; by accompanying you I hope to repay the favours I owe you all."

"I'm in too, but only to keep an eye on you." Aisha said with a huff, crossing her arms and looking away.

"It's not like I need baby-sitting!" He retorted indignantly.

Rena sighed inwardly; couldn't the two ever be honest with each other? Chung and Eve were also avoiding each other's eyes, but at least they had a legitimate reason for doing so. And Raven…her musings were interrupted as she noticed the sapphire gems studded on her white gloves were gleaming unnaturally even with the late afternoon sunlight pouring through the window. She stiffened; they were summoning her _twice_ in one day? Just to be sure, the elf casually withdrew her hands from the table and tapped the jewel on her wrist, watching with dismay as an elven word formed on the surface of the shining stone. Just a single word.

_Come._

She felt a wave of anger sweep over her, than sadness. Biting back the emotions and words she couldn't share with her teammates, she rose up as five pairs of eyes looked towards her. As five pairs of eyes turned to stare at her, she smiled reassuringly. "Unni, what is it?" Aisha asked, frowning.

"I think I left my Grand Archer Textbook under the rock again." She shook her head. "I keep forgetting to put it back in the study after I read it."

"But you're already a Grand Archer; surely you've memorized the entire textbook by now."

"Knowledge and skill have no limits." Rena grinned. "It will only take a moment…"

"I'm coming with you." Raven said, but the elf had vanished before he made to move out of his chair. He made to go after her, only to be stopped by a delicate hand. "Desist."

"Why should I?"

"Rena has expressed her desire to be left alone. Will you violate her wishes?"

"B-but Eve…Rena-Unni's been like that all the time! I'm thinking that we should go after her!"

"She is not a child, Aisha. I am sure Rena knows how to take care of herself."

"Aisha's right!" Chung stood up. "Noona's been totally out of it these days, and we're her friends! She should tell us whatever's bothering her!"

"Yeah, I'm starting to think that, too. She's not the same anymore…"

Raven looked towards the empress triumphantly. "See? Now let go. I'm going to find out why she's been–"

"_Enough!_" She slammed her hands down on the table, silencing everyone with her sudden uncharacteristic display of unbridled anger. "You speak of her as if she is your peer, your equal. Her experience and maturity surpass all of you by eons, and if she has a burden which she has chosen not to share, then it is not meant to be known by the likes of you!"

Silence. "My queen." Ophelia took a hesitant step forward. "What are your orders?"

Disconcerted by the stunned and hurt expressions of her comrades, she softened her tone just a notch, "Rena considers you all her closest, most trusted companions." Her eyes flickered as she looked at Raven a second longer than the others. "She will unburden when she is ready." She rose to leave.

"Eve…you know what's bothering her, don't you?" Aisha asked. The Nasod queen was not one to act drastically unless she was certain of every detail.

She looked at the girl sharply before turning to her servants, "Safeguard the Lady Rena's surroundings. Ensure that her privacy in the forest is maintained."

"You do know!" Aisha confirmed. "You do, don't you? What is Unni hiding from us?"

"I do not." She replied flatly, but she would not look them in the eye. "This discussion is adjourned." Then she turned to Chung with, her expression contrite: "My...sincerest apologies in disfiguring your hair. My rashness will not go unchecked again." She gave an apologetic curtsy before briskly resuming her regal pace out the door.

"But– Eve?!"

**SYSTEM UNIT: **EVE  
**Code:** EMPRESS

**DATA PROGRAM:** 00110706100110  
**MEMORY FILE No. 7623100910**  
**Last Saved:** 15 Days ago  
**Status:** IMPORTANT

"_That…wasn't supposed to happen." She smiled, but it was a smile__ that was for Eve's benefit, not hers. "I wish you hadn't seen that."_

"_I was under the misconception that only dark elves would exhibit such rudeness to one of their own." She crossed her arms. "Had I been you, such insolence would not be tolerated."_

"_Maybe." She shrugged. "But they are getting impatient." She held her head in her hands, clearly distressed. "I can hold them off for two more weeks at the very most…but what will I tell Elsword? The others?"_

_Regally sitting down on a large boulder, Eve sought for words to comfort her companion. "Choosing between your duties and wishes…that is indeed difficult."_

_She smiled brokenly. "I've already made my decision. That's why it troubles me."_

"_But how…" The Nasod went quiet as her systems deducted the answer. "You…you plan to leave us?"_

_The golden elf recoiled as if she'd been slapped. Her features went stricken. "I have to."_

_Had Rena's accidental listener been Raven, Elsword, or even Chung, the elf would've been instantly bombarded with accusations of betrayal and pleadings to stay. But Eve was no human fool; just like she had chosen the crown, Rena had chosen to embrace her origins to become a Sniping Ranger, then Grand Archer of the elven tribe. To believe that she would stay with her newfound companions forever was a child's dream. _

_Sorrow snapped into position despite her best effort to keep it at bay. "I'm…I'm so selfish! I thought this was the path I had to take, to…and now look at me, staving off the inevitable despite knowing that it's all useless in the end! They'll keep calling me to return, but I can't betray…" She broke off, unable to continue._

"_I understand." Eve said. And did._

_Rena managed to reply with only a catch in her voice to reveal how near she had come to crying. "Thank you…and…I'm sorry."_

"_You are not selfish. A selfish being would not care for her friends the way you do. You have responsibilities which you cannot disregard, which I recognize as a queen. Can you not persuade these Elders for an official extension?"_

_She shook her head. "Not for a Grand Archer whose rightful place is with her tribe. But I can delay for a while."_

"_Then savour what little time is left with us." Getting up, she stretched out a hand towards the Archer. "I will cover you to ensure that no one else will be informed until you decide otherwise."_

_Rena accepted Eve's__ hand gratefully. "You'd do that? For me?"_

"_For a friend."_

Yes, for two weeks, the empress had succeeded. But the clock was ticking.

And time did not stop or wait for anyone, not even an elf.

* * *

Exactly when Rena came back to the house, no human knew. She was just _there_, crossing the field as Eve intercepted her.

"They seek answers to their questions."

Rena swallowed hard, but her words emerged with a calculation that revealed no hesitation. "They will get it soon enough."

"Rena." A gruff voice joined the girls.

His voice, and the way Eve's Nasod servants instantaneously bristled told the elf who it was even before she turned around to face the person she both loved and dreaded to see the most.

"Raven."

* * *

Mhm, way to make the entire story take a nosedive.  
Anyways, for those who couldn't understand my crappy writing, here: two weeks ago, Eve accidentally caught Rena talking to her Elders, and it ended really badly. Since then, Eve always kept an eye out for her so no one else would find out. (Rena knows she has to go with her Elders in the end, but she delays it as long as she can because she's torn between her people and her friends. Did that make sense?)

You might be wondering why I made Eve connect with everyone so much. Well, Eve is a Nasod Queen. She has the technical knowledge to help Raven with his arm, and as a queen with duties and responsibilities, she understands Rena's difficult decision. Besides, both her and Rena's age is...questionable.

Darn! I got sloppy with the other pairings! Not good...not good at all. Which pairing should I focus on in the next chapter along with Raven & Rena?

Anyways, glad to be back in the world of Fanfiction! :D


	4. He Won't Accept It Till You're Gone

"We should talk…" glancing at Eve, he added, "…alone."

Indifferent, she turned to the elf. "Should I accompany you back into the house?"

Though tempted, Rena shook her head. "You go on ahead. Thank you for everything, Eve."

It sounded very final, as if she was saying good-bye. With another appreciative smile, she bounded off, Raven in hot pursuit.

"You are welcome." Looking over, the sun was setting for the night over the faraway mountaintops, with shades of orange and crimson streaked across the sky. Chung had once told her that sunsets are beautiful to watch, but today it made her feel a great emptiness inside. Why was that? Eve already knew and accepted the truth...She walked through the back door which led directly to the kitchen, where Elsword, Aisha, and Chung were trying to make dinner (?)

"All right, who put the milk in the freezer? And why is the salt in the fridge?!"

"Aisha, will you tell your stupid pet to stop throwing potatoes at me!"

"You're supposed to be peeling them! Not burning them with your runes!" She threw up her hands, exasperated. "Don't get your blood on the counter!"

"But the stupid knife keeps cutting my fingers! Ow! #$%&! Chung, you do it!"

"I'm already doing the carrots…oh. Hello, Eve." All conversation stilled as the Nasods entered. Eve thought she read uncertainty, anxiety, and a hint of fear on their faces. Perhaps she shouldn't have spoken so harshly…it was only natural that they should feel concerned for their companion.

"Good evening." She looked around the kitchen, frowning at the accumulating mess. "Would you like me to assist?"

"…..."

* * *

She stopped at the far side of the house, leaning against the outer wall, where a thicket of ivy was thriving. Only then did she turn to face him. She was ready, she was ready to say everything she needed to say, to make him and the others understand. So why did her heart suddenly feel so heavy? Why wouldn't the words come out? "…Hi."

His face was mask-like, made with an unfathomable expression. He took a step closer. Then he exhaled deeply, running his human hand through his black-and-white hair. "That's all you have to say?"

"Raven, I–"

"No, this time, you hear me out." The Reckless Fist leaned forward; his face very close to hers. "If you don't want to tell me anything, it's fine. I won't ask. I'm not going to interfere with your private life."

Her eyes widened, but she remained in her guarded stance; there was a definite catch to this.

Raven did not disappoint. "I don't need to know everything or anything. Just..." He put his hands on her shoulders gently but firmly, ensuring that she wouldn't elude him this time like before. She could feel his body shudder slightly as he continued, "...you know how much you mean to me..."

Her mouth felt dry as the elf sought for words to comfort him. "That...I do. It's just, that...it's..." But what could she say to comfort the man before her, when keeping silent was the only way?

"Just...tell me you're not going anywhere without us. Promise me that..." She stifled a small gasp as his grip tightened. "...you won't leave me. We all need you. I need you."

When she gave no immediate reply, he looked up. It took a few minutes, but she slowly raised her head. Their eyes met, but Raven was perturbed as he saw that Rena's eyes were those of a person who had resigned to her fate. Her smile was ever-present, but she was smiling in a sad way as if...as if she was saying farewell. He soon saw she was not going to reassure him, not going to make any promises. The eyes meeting Rena's own were a brilliant gold and had in them the stunned uncomprehending look of a child that almost broke Rena's heart.

But it was her next words that made it absolute, that there was nothing else. That everything was done as she said, "I'm sorry, Raven."

He swore he felt his heart drop as she uttered those words, sending a wave of panicked fear through him. In the corner of his mind, he could see the corpses of his comrades of the Crow Mercenaries, his brothers-in-arms sprawled across the bloody ground as fires blazed in the distant background. The friends he had fought with, suffered with, all dead. His fiancée Seris, lying limp in his arms with glassy eyes. Everyone he cared for, gone. All gone, leaving him alone.

And now, she was leaving him, too.

"You can't!" With a quick movement, he roughly pulled her to him, trapping her in his embrace. "Please, don't go. I don't want to lose you..." Before she could utter a protest, he pressed his lips to hers, a soundless, desperate plea, hoping against hope for her to change her mind. "Please."

When he pulled away, he saw that her eyes were shining with moisture, although they didn't spill over. Lowering her head so that her bangs hid her eyes, she leaned forward and gently pecked his cheek, then inclined her head a little so that her mouth was beside his ear. When she put her arms around his neck, he thought, in that moment, he had won. He did not see how her fingers curled into an offensive position, nor how her eyes steeled over. She needed him as much as he needed her; they would be together, all of them...together...together...together...

"I'm sorry."

An instant of confusion flashed through his mind at the words before he felt two fingers press on his neck, and a tremendous amount of pressure was all Raven felt before his vision turned black, his head collapsing onto Rena's shoulders.

_It was a lie._

It was only then when Rena allowed the tears to flow, making thin lines as they streamed down her face. Fate was so cruel to both of them, wasn't it? Raven had lost Seris, now her...perhaps fate would let him find another woman that would stay with him, unlike her and Seris. Yes, he deserved that much after all the sufferings he had gone through. Crying silently, she arranged him so that he sat with his back against the wall. Brushing the hair from his closed eyes, she planted a final kiss on his forehead, a kiss of farewell.

"_Saranghae_, Raven." She whispered to the sleeping boy. Hastily she wiped her tears away; there was still much to do.

In her haste, the usually observant elf failed to notice how the Nasod Arm flared, glowing in an eerily orange light and sparking ominously as she hurried away.

There was little to pack, as her successor would be able to use most of the things around here, such as her books and uniforms. Her Great Bow, small pictures of her and everyone else, and an ornate Velder pendant from Raven...should she take that? She quickly stuffed it in her pocket as several hands pounded on her door with shouts of "Noona! Unni! Open the door! Tell us what's going on!"

She smoothed her hair, composed her features into the utmost serenity as she opened the door. She saw their faces displaying similar expressions of bewildered hurt, anxiety, and apprehension. Eve stood some distance away, observing with carefully hidden worry. "What's the problem, guys?"

"Eve wouldn't tell us...what's going on, Unni?" Aisha looked up with pleading eyes. "What aren't you telling us?"

She smiled as she always did, smoothing the younger girl's bangs. "I am sorry I made you worry, dear. It couldn't be helped."

"If you're sorry," Chung stepped in, "tell us the truth!"

She did.

They became very quiet.

"Unni." she said at last. "Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Do not think it has been easy on me." Rena said tiredly. "These last weeks...I wanted to spend them with you all in the best way possible. But now," she laughed humourlessly, "my time is up."

"But...but if we'd known, then..."

"It would have done nothing." Eve joined in, her voice deliberately emotionless. "There was no other way."

All this time, Elsword had stayed silent, looking down at the floor. Now he raised his head, hurt accusation clear in his eyes. "You're just going back to them? No arguing, no fighting? You're just going back to them like...like some..."

"Elsword, that's not what it's like." Rena laid a consoling hand on his shoulder; he jerked away as if it were on fire, eyes blazing.

"No, it is! If you were a friend, you'd be stick with us no matter what. That's what we promised, remember? And now you're just turning your back on us like nothing ever happened! Just because the El's restored...that's it?"

The others excluding Eve and Rena involuntarily shrank back, never had they seen their leader so inflamed before. Rena kept her voice even as she attempted to explain, "Elsword, you're not being fair. That was my original intent from the beginning and you all knew it. You think I don't want to be with you guys? That's—"

"So that's all we were! Tools to help you in your mission! Well, it's all done now, isn't it? Now you can go back to your elves!" He shot back, then ran without a backward look.

"Wait, Elsword!" She called knowing that he would not listen. This was the exact reaction she had expected from Elsword; always fiercely stubborn and hotheaded. Still, it hurt. A lot. Rena only hoped that he'd one day understand the path she had chosen, why this had to happen. She nodded to the Void Princess to go after the distraught Rune Slayer. She was the only one he'd listen to now.

"Unni…" she stood at a loss for words. "But…what about Raven?"

"I already said goodbye to him. Like Elsword, he will come to accept in time." She slung her bow over her back. "Hey, don't look so down. Another elf is going to come replace me. Her name is Lire. You'll be nice to her, won't you?" She laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. For all her eccentric clothes and attempts to act mature, Aisha resembled a small forlorn child.

"Shh, it's okay." She quietly drew the younger girl closer, hugging her warmly with one hand while he patted the purple head with the other. The atmosphere around the two humans, elf, and Nasod hung around like a gloomy mantle as Rena made several more half-hearted attempts to lighten the mood before they unanimously joined in a group hug (even Eve), embracing in silence.

"Make sure you make Lire feel welcome." Like the motherly figure she was, she smoothed their hair and smiled strongly. "Everything's going to be all right."

* * *

They came into the clearing, with a sense of dignified pride in their step. Rena stood resolutely as they arrived, her former companions standing a few feet away from her. To the end, Elsword had refused to come out of his room. Eve and Aisha had threatened to bust his door down and drag him out by his hair, but Rena told them to leave him alone. Dusk was nearing its end, with only a sliver of the sun peeking from the mountains. Somewhere far away, a nightingale began its evening tune.

No one asked about Raven.

"Grand Archer Rena." A tall, male elf stepped forward, flanked by two smaller Sniping Rangers, there bows out. "It has been a long time since we met…face to face."

"Ladmir. It is good to see you again." She acknowledged with a polite smile and a slight bow of the head. He was the same elf that Raven had seen during their last water-communication. One of the rare elves that specialized in magic and magic alone, he had the respect of every elf in their clan, including hers. "I do not see my replacement. Where is she?"

"Right here." He turned and gestured, and she stepped out carefully from behind. Rena could at once see why the elders had chosen this Lire to replace her; she was a Nova. Dressed in the customary elven garments that identified her as such, she carried a bow that was smaller than Rena's, but the way she wielded it proved that she was capable of fighting on her own as well as in a group. Unsure of what to do, she bowed respectfully before Rena.

Assured that Elsword and his friends would have a competent fighter to aid them in future battles, she nodded encouragingly back, setting the younger elf at ease. "I hope you do well in my stead." Turning to Aisha, Eve, Chung, she meant to assure that all would be well, but what came out was a tremulous smile as her vision suddenly went blurry. So this was really it. She would probably never see any of them again. In her mind's eye she sifted through all the memories she shared with them—dueling with Elsword, placating Aisha, teaching Eve about the beauty of nature, fixing Chung's "haircut", the countless afternoons spent in the sun with Raven…his face as she…

"It is high time that we depart; the Elders are waiting." Ladmir's voice jolted her back into the present. "Your arrival has been long delayed; we should make haste."

She sighed; she had put it off as long as she could. "Yes, let's—" Her words broke off as she stiffened, her ears twitching. All five elves drew their weapons, prompting the others to do the same. There was a malicious, evil presence lurking nearby…who? Glitters? Ran? The nearby trees shivered as a chill whipped through, darkening the mood even further.

"What…what is this?" Ladmir asked, perturbed. "A strong malevolent aura…"

One of the Sniping Rangers asked him, "Shall we leave before he attacks us?"

"And leave the rest to deal with it alone? We are not cowards."

CRACK. The sound of stone, metal, and wood breaking grated against their ears. Something was coming. Something very big. Chung readied his cannon, Aisha's staff crackled with energy, four arrows were concentrated on the source of the sound, Eve quickly checked her systems for any information that would help…

Her eyes widened as her sensors deducted the cause of the destruction. "No, it's—" was all she managed to say before a giant blast of fire headed her way, scorching heatedly.

Oberon and Ophelia barely managed to save their queen, the former deflecting it with his sword and the latter whisking her queen to safety. Sadly, Moby and Remy were to slow to evade, their outer armour badly burnt as a result. They wobbled to their mistress, growling feebly as Eve carefully cradled them in her arms. But Eve had no time to fix them as she looked up in a mixture of agitation and worry. Her systems, as usual, were immaculately correct in their calculations.

Raven stepped into the clearing, his arm still sparking from the fireball he hurled at Eve. The Reckless Fist surveyed the clearing before he looked towards Rena.

"Raven, what is going on?" Rena asked sharply, hiding her unease. How had he revived so quickly, when he was supposed to be out cold for an hour at the very least? Not even thirty minutes have passed!

"Rena." His white bangs suddenly brushed from his face, revealing his eyes, filled with hate, accusation, and Rena could see, pain. Of course. She had betrayed him. "Where do you think you're going?"

She swallowed hard, "I'm—I'm going back home, Raven." She steeled herself as she gestured to Lire, whose bowstring was still drawn. "This is Lire. She is my substitute. You will be good to her, won't you?"

"You think just because she's here, you'll be able to get away from me?" He took a menacing step closer. "Is that what you think?"

"Hyung, that's enough!" Chung stepped forward. "Noona said she has to go."

Ladmir again had that pitying look in his eyes, but he turned to Rena, "I do not think he'll accept the fact that you are leaving till you are truly gone. If we do not leave now, it will only make things worse." He looked worriedly at Lire, but she seemed composed enough.

Rena darted a glance at Raven, who was still smouldering. Then she nodded to Ladmir, who began chanting an elven spell, creating a portal that would take them back to their dimension.

"No!" The Reckless Fist took another step forward, but was stopped by several people who aimed their weapons directly at him. The two Sniping Rangers had already been nervous with this strange, half-Nasod man from the beginning; their suspicions confirmed, they now had their arrows concentrated directly on his neck. Aisha had her staff on his back, Angkor flapping ominously beside his mistress. Chung had his cannon out with an unwilling but determined face. Eve was preoccupied with fixing Moby and Remy, but Oberon and Ophelia blocked Raven's path, their weapons poised.

"Move one more step, Master Raven," Ophelia dared to speak, "and we attack. It is against our wishes to aggrieve Lady Rena, but if you leave us no choice, we will hurt you."

There was a roaring in Raven's ears, the pulsing of his own blood. His vision was still unstable, but he could see Rena looking at him with a sad expression. Next to her was the annoying elf he had seen from before in the woods. Damn it all! It was déjà vu, and pure torture, to see the person he cherished most being taken away from him while he was held back like some savage animal by those he thought friends. He was getting betrayed all over again, left behind all over again…and there was nothing he could do about it.

He looked up to see Ladmir, who had finished the spell. A magic portal swirled in vibrant colours before them, humming faintly. The male elf turned to look the Reckless Fist in the face, and Raven saw it.

The elven mage _smirked_.

And that became Raven's undoing.

It didn't matter anymore. The smug little smile did it. Raven of the kingdom of Velder already knew the bitter tang of betrayal, felt the prickling sense of shame and enraged helplessness as he was forced to watch everyone he cared about ripped from his very arms, and he wasn't going to let that happen again. Not if he could help it. He screamed into the starless night sky, a cry of pure rage, and slammed his hand onto the ground, knocking his captors into the air. As they made to restrain him once more, he merely swatted them aside like flies, a maniacal laugh escaping his lips that chilled every listener to the bone. Raven never laughed like that, even in the most intense of combat. Rena made to go for Raven, but was stopped by Ladmir, who hissed, "No time! The portal won't last forever!"

"Hyung, snap out of it!" Chung cried. "I don't want to hurt you!"

They charged, but their intent was only to restrain, bring him under control. Aisha was holding back with her magic, and even Lire seemed to understand that she should not inflict a lethal shot on this man. All of them were careful to injure, not kill.

At the exact same time, a Nasod was becoming increasingly dominant over its distraught host. There was so much anger, so much rage that was consuming all sanity and reason.

So much anger…burning his mind, all his senses away.

The rage…it was ripping all his memories away, scattering them into oblivion like ashes.

Perfect.

His arm burned with such intense flames that it was beginning to scorch his clothes, but when he looked up, Rena stifled a gasp of shock.

Those weren't his eyes.

"Raven!"

It wasn't him.

* * *

No, I'm not dead yet. And this is not going to have a very happy ending, in all truth. Hee hee~  
My other stories are...suspended? Is that the right word? I am truly sorry. I will finish them, just not...soon.

죄송합니다. The writing's real crap now, I'm utter crap with deep emotions.  
So many follows/favs. Wow. I am deeply honoured. Thank you.


	5. Objective: Total Destruction

The gold in his eyes were long gone; now they were milky white and blazing with hate. Or was it lunacy? It didn't matter, not to the Nasod parasite that finally had full control over the irritating human that had it suppressed for months, years. It was like awaking from a sleep, a fretful sleep of sedatives and something called 'self-control'. Now through its hapless host, it could see_ everything_. It could do _anything_.

The figure that was once Raven turned towards the elves, a sneer curling its way onto his face.

_Objective: Destroy the elven scum that tried to take away my..._

Wait, take away _**who?**_ That made no sense; there was nobody that could be 'taken away' from him. He was nothing at all except a mindless puppet that only did the bidding of the Nasods. And now, his first target was the irritating elf mage that scorned him. The mage was now practically shoving Rena through the portal, screaming at her to leave first.

"I can't just leave him! He's not himself!" Rena shouted back, panicked. "We don't have to hurt him!"

"How could you care for this monster?!"

Perhaps the last statement was said in panic, adrenaline, or stress, not something that was meant to insult. But Rena took it as one, her mind ignited with an unusual wave of fury. She turned to Ladmir, enunciating each word with an even tone that was more chilling than unbridled rage:

"Do—not—say—that—_ever_—again."

Rena glared at Ladmir, than made her way to 'Raven', her expression melting to anxious regret as she stepped carefully towards him.

"Raven…"

He growled, the sound animal-like, but Rena only came closer, one hand on bow, another reached out to his face. "Can you hear me?"

For a split second it looked like he did; she swore she could see a hint of gold return to the whites of his eyes, but whatever hope she gained was quickly squelched when Ladmir, aimed a series of lightning bolts at the Fist's chest. 'Raven' snarled, belting the Archer aside as he used his Nasod Arm to deflect the lightning.

The force, amplified by the Nasod arm, flung Rena straight into the nearby forest and slammed her form against a tree, hard. She heard a small snapping against her chest, sending up a jolt of pain. The momentum also snapped her head back, her skull bashing against the unforgiving bark, scattering stars in her vision.

Trying to shake off the stars, the elven archer forced herself to stand up, only to collapse back on the ground as her legs gave away. How did her legs get injured in the process…?

Back in the clearing, the elven visitors were having a bad time. Convinced that the hybrid was going to slaughter them all, they began to attack with their full power, reasoning that if he was so strong, he would survive. (If he did not, so much the better for them.) Ladmir shouted for his elves to defend him as he raised his staff, a fireball appearing at the tip.

The Sniping Rangers were a laugh; they could only put up a real fight from a distance. Dodging past Oberon, 'Raven' swung back his arm, a red aura glowing around him as he delivered an ear-shattering punch that snapped their bows like twigs as he blasted forward, raking their faces and neck deep with his fiery limb.

He smiled as they screamed, twitching to the ground in a heap of blood and smoke, coloured red. His smile grew even bigger as he saw their eyes widen, clamping their hand over their mouths at the grisly sight. Only Eve remained undeterred as she furiously worked on her drones, betrayed only by a hint of shocked disgust that flitted across her face.

"What's happening to him?" Aisha shouted, fighting back her fear and urge to vomit. "How do we stop him?"

Chung had no response, only to swallow hard as he looked at the corpses, then at 'Raven', at a loss.

"_No!"_ Ladmir screamed, his eyes bulging with shock as he saw his two companions fall. As the frantic mage raised his staff, Raven lunged forward, slicing his blade towards the elf, Ladmir fending him off with a clumsy sidestep. As he retreated, he yelled to Lire, "Go back!"

"But…"

"No time! We need reinforcements!" Without further delay, Ladmir shoved the Nova into the portal, which was starting to fade without someone to properly uphold it.

But 'Raven' wasn't going to let the elf-mage whelp escape so easily. (And no, not because it tried to take away his…his…**who?**) As the elf too made to go, 'Raven' swiped his claw, unleashing four black javelins that impaled themselves onto the elf's back. As he keeled over, 'Raven' lunged forward, punching Ladmir square in the middle, the resulting crack resounding against the area. The elf was tossed onto the ground, his crumpled form unnaturally still. He did not move again.

"The arm has consumed his sanity, making him kill without mercy." Scanning Moby & Remy to confirm their status as normal, the queen straightened herself, her voice sounding troubled. "He must be restrained in order for his condition to be stabilized. At this rate, he will be beyond saving—" She didn't get to finish as another barrage of flames swiped for her.

Chung's eyes widened as he yelled at Eve to get out of the way, but the empress glided away in time, only the hem of her dress getting scorched to show for her narrow evasion.

Raven (or rather, his Nasod arm) was taking full advantage of the fact that none of his opponents wanted to hurt him. Each of them was careful to inflict only a fraction of their power, to take out the worst of their attacks. Raven could feel the hesitancy behind Aisha's staff, the cannon as Chung purposely missed his vital areas, but Oberon and Ophelia were really going at it. Ophelia was launching magic spheres crackling with undiluted energy that singed his clothes, and Oberon was slashing at Raven as if his life depended on it.

_Objective: Annihilate the Nasod traitors._

The arm jerked, its host blocking the strikes of the Nasod servant. After all, the Nasod arm was made in the name of the glorious King Nasod, sworn to join His Majesty's cause in eradicating the humans who had abandoned them. Queen Eve—no, she was no queen, but a traitor—needed to be killed as well, to pay for _helping_ the humans and repressing it. Her and her drones were now enemies.

Again, a peal of the bloodcurdling, chilling laughter escaped 'Raven's lips as the fiery inferno continued to scorch around him. So much hatred, so much revenge!

_Objective: Destroy the pathetic servants and the Empress Traitor._

"The Arm does not realize that King Nasod is now a pile of scrap metal in Altera." Eve deducted with a faint expression, almost like an ironic smile as 'Raven' snapped towards her, his arm crackling with flames. "It will come for me, the traitor. Aisha, please use this opportunity to find and heal Rena. She may be the one chance to restore what is left of Raven."

"Eve, what about you?"

At this, Eve straightened her back, arching her eyebrows. "Do not underestimate me. I am the Empress of the Nasods. My overall circuitry far surpasses the rusted technology of the former King Nasod, and if my calculations are correct, Chung and I will achieve victory with no more bloodshed."

"We can handle the old scrap of metal." Chung appeared out of nowhere, clutching his cannon. "We'll cut his arm off if we have to."

"Let's not get too far ahead. " Aisha winced slightly at the graphic visualisation her mind conjured. "Take care, you guys!" She yelled before dashing off.

* * *

"Unni, you have two broken ribs, a concussion, and a sprained wrist." Aisha informed as a purple light emanated softly from her staff. "Are you all right?"

"I've—ugh—had worse." Rena smiled, albeit grimly. "The others, Raven?"

Aisha tactfully avoided discussing the corpses of her elven comrades. "All of us are fine, more or less." She half-lied as she mended the elf's ribs. The younger girl tried to think of something cheerful to say, but the Void Princess could not bring herself to do so. Instead, she concentrated on the healing process, carefully mending the broken ribs, fixing the ankle and restoring the elf's strength.

"I'm sorry." The voice was small, almost inaudible.

"Sorry?" She tilted her head, confused. "Unni, why would you be sorry?"

_I feel like I've chosen the wrong course. I thought…it would be better to go back to my people, and yet...I couldn't bear leaving you either. Now look at this mess. I know I can't go back, but I keep feeling like I should have done things differently. I'm sorry for putting you all into this chaos, if I should have chosen a different path…_ Rena looked up, her eyes betraying just how vulnerable she felt before she mustered up another smile. She was the one who kept the group together. If she fell apart now, all would be lost.

"Nothing." She stood up, feeling strength coursing through her limbs. Dusting off her skirt, she turned, "We need Elsword."

"Elsword? You mean that blockhead that didn't even want to see you off?"

"Yes, the same blockhead." Rena joked, patting the violet hair. "He's still our leader and we need his help. No, don't go that way! Raven's there. Take the north path through the maples; it's longer but safer. Hurry!"

"I will!" Aisha nodded fervently, waving towards her elven sister one last time before dashing off (again) into the Maple Road. "Why does this path have to be so long~" she wailed. "Elsword!"

* * *

Rena was not prepared for the gore that awaited her.

The two Sniping Rangers were sprawled on the muddy ground, immersed in their own blood. Thankfully they were laying face-down, so Rena did not see the huge gashes that were embedded in their bodies. But Ladmir! His dishevelled hair, the blankness of his eyes, the way his limbs curved at twisted, painful angles, and his body, broken and crumpled into a muddied heap. Raven wouldn't have done this. Raven _couldn't_ have done this.

…No, that was wrong. She had to think rationally, just as she had always done. She couldn't act like a child in denial. She had to pull herself together!

"Noona!"

"Chung!" Her head snapped up, darting frantically towards the Paladin. Her eyes widened in terror as she saw his predicament: Oberon and Ophelia were strewn across the muddy earth, sparks of electricity crackling weakly in places where their parts were frayed, melted, or destroyed; Raven had proved too much for them. Ophelia twitched weakly, desperate to protect her mistress, who stood firm with iron composure despite her cuts bleeding golden oil. Chung remained by her side protectively, but the Iron Paladin just wasn't cut out for it, seeing that Raven had defeated everyone else with the one thing most of them were vulnerable to: speed. Deadly speed.

Speed that was now going to burn alive the remaining two as 'Raven' drew his arm back, the arm bursting into flames.

Fire, especially one suffused with the power of a human's rage and Nasod technology, could melt a sheet of titanium in less than a minute. Eve, looking at Chung's armour with icy calculations, recognized instantly the arm's intent. Chung's body armour, however durable, would melt like butter under the intense heat, killing the boy with liquid metal.

Rena, also realizing this, sprinted towards them, but the fire was faster. The elf wouldn't make it in time.

Very well. Her servants may have been struck down, but an empress would never bow to the hands of her enemies. She would also never save herself at the expense of another. Her circuitry could withstand the Nasod fire, to an extent. If it couldn't, she would fix it herself. As for Chung, she would see him out of harm's way…

"Moby, Remy." Eve ordered, indicating to Chung. As 'Raven' swiped his arm, releasing a torrent of inferno, Eve's drones joined together, emitting a single, but very powerful, electron beam that knocked Chung right off his feet, blasting him a good ten feet away, slightly electrocuted but safe from 'Raven'. She made no attempt to escape; it was already too late and she would not give the arm the satisfaction of flailing helplessly in its grasp.

The blonde elf felt her heart plunge as she screamed, a voiceless sound as a firestorm swept over the Nasod queen.

* * *

Nice way to end (for now), hahaha~  
I won't be updating for a while, actually. Exams are coming up, and I need plenty of time to study, write, and mope about how I won't pass my exams.  
On a brighter note, I've tried something new for my reviewers: take a look at the next "chapter", which will come promptly...


	6. Irrelevant, But To Reviewers

As you all know, I'm not one to respond to my reviewers as much or in great detail. I apologize; I frequently forget the people that I need to thank the most (Bad He-Jay.) So, instead of me awkwardly muttering thanks, I'll have the original members of Elsword answer your reviews. This shouldn't be too bad; many authors on this site frequently interact with the members, yes? My formatting will be slightly different, however.

* * *

"What's the first one?" Aisha asked, eyeing the sheets of paper in Rena's hands that held all the reviews for Chapter 4 with interested eyes. "There's a lot…so many people like our story..."

"That is to be expected." Eve answered pointedly. "The content and plot of our story is appropriate and pleasing to most of the readers. I am also intrigued on what the people have to say. Do proceed." She said to the elf, accepting a cup of tea from Ophelia.

"Hey, this **Sweet Trickster** is nice!" Chung exclaimed as he read the first review. "She called her an 'amazing writer' with the emotions!"

"I am sure that Lady Trickster only says that because she does not know what our 'amazing writer' is up to at the moment." Eve answered dryly. Silence filled the room as sounds of banging, screaming, and hair-pulling emitted from the basement as the said amazing writer struggled to type.

"Just read the next one." Raven grumbled. When she did so, Raven couldn't help but agree with him. "He's right. You shouldn't have tried to leave me like that." He looked at Rena with accusing, wistful eyes.

"Are you still angry?"

"What does it look like to you—"

Elsword broke in. "We're wasting time! We already know why, read the former chapters. All right, thank you, Sir **Shadow of the Death**…wow, really cheerful name you have there."

"How do you know if this Shadow of the Death is a 'sir'? What if she's a lady?" Aisha scolded.

"Well, his profile picture says a lot…"

"That's not him you idiot! That's Raven with girly hair!"

At that, the Reckless Fist gave a sideways glare, but made no attempt to rise out his seat. "Does it really matter?"

"NONONONONONONONONO!"

The room fell silent, with every member looking at the Grand Archer as if she went crazy. Elsword finally spoke, "Um, Noona…sorry, but what do you mean, 'Nonononononononono'?"

"That's what she wrote. She wants me and Raven to have a happy ending." She smiled warmly. "Thank you, Miss **YuYuYu A**, you message is kindly accepted." She continued reading, "Oh, and she also expects much of our amazing author, telling her to 'keep up the good work.'"

"The idiot's not going to get any work done if she keeps freaking out in the basement." Elsword grumbled. At that moment, another screeching wail could be heard from downstairs, accentuating the Rune Slayer's words. "See?"

"Can I read the next one?" Chung read the next words, his eyes scanning them rapidly. "Wow, everyone really likes putting you and Hyung together, Noona. You guys are real celebrities! **ReaderofDark** is cheering you on!"

"You guys are made for each other." Aisha sighed dreamily.

Rena laughed gently, and there seemed to be slightly pleased glint in Raven's golden eyes as both wordlessly affirmed the statement when the door suddenly banged open as their newest member waltzed in, spear slung over her shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly at the gathering assembled in the living room. "What is the get-together for?"

"Nothing, nothing…" Aisha replied, hastily covering the paper, but the girl noticed, her usual cheerful expression replaced by a slightly disappointed one.

Her face fell; she had been around for a while, but it seemed that the author had yet to accept her as a member of the team, as she had shown up little to none in her stories. She was just a background character, someone who was just there…"Oh…is it the responses to the story I'm not in?"

"Ara…"

"No it's fine." She looked up, putting up a brave face. "It's all right; as soon as I find my elder brother…I will leave. I know I am not important enough."

"That's not true!" Aisha said indignantly, putting an arm around the Gumiho girl. "The author's just…busy. She doesn't know you well enough, but she will soon. Just visit her more often, show her your personality, and she'll love you. I bet she's already making a story with you as the main right now!"

At the last words, the spear maiden brightened. "You really think so? Should I go check on her?"

"Uh…wait!" Cursing herself for the problem she created, the Void Princess held her back, "She's really busy right now…you wouldn't want to go near her. Why don't you read instead?"

"Huh? Okay…hey!" Ara exclaimed, examining the review. "This reviewer speaks Korean! 한국말이야!"

"Really? Let me see!"

"이야~ 신기하다~! 정말 신기해!" Ara rambled on. "한국사람들도 읽을까? ㅋㅋㅋ"

Chung stared at her, dumbstruck. "Um…what is she saying?"

"She is just highly excited at the thought that our readers may be Korean." Eve translated. "Sadly, it is highly unlikely **Racci-Sora**-nim is from the land in which we were created; I am informed that she is from Indonesia. Whatever ethnicity she may be, however, we thank her gratefully for her support. I will inform the author to refine her technique in portraying emotions." Even also noted that the orange-clad girl was paying no attention to her statements, dancing around in happiness.

"아라, 저녁으로 만두 만들어줄래?" (Ara, can you make some dumplings for dinner?) Rena asked in an attempt to calm the girl down.

"알았어, 언니!" (Okay, Unni!) she replied happily, skipping into the kitchen with a happy look. As soon as she was out of earshot, the elf turned to Aisha with half-reproachful eyes. "You shouldn't have raised her hopes so high like that…think how crushed she'll get when she finds out…"

"But she won't Unni!" Aisha quickly countered. "The author actually did express a slight interest in her a few days ago when I asked her. But yeah, Ara-Unni's not going to be in this story…but that doesn't mean she won't be in other stories!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just how often does the idiot update? I mean, she kicks off a chapter, then she goes AWOL for months before we hear any sign of her again. It's like communicating with an alien." Elsword snorted. No one could yell at him this time, because his words actually had a hint of truth in them.

Somehow, the paper passed to Eve, and she read the next words. "Our author is not as mediocre as one might think. At the very least, her works do not disappoint this particular reader. It appears that the story has profound elements, as we are (and hopefully continue to remain) in-character. Such praise is most kindly appreciated."

"Thank you, Mr…Ms…Mrs…**StrayHero**, whatever title suits you!" Chung happily added in his awkward yet endearing way. He beamed to the empress, "So many people like us!"

"It is an uplifting feeling, to be lavished with compliments as these." Eve agreed, looking genuinely happier than before. She handed the paper to Rena, "There is one more review…specifically directed towards you and Raven."

"Hm? Let me see…" Rena and Raven peered at the paper for several seconds, the former scratching her head with mild embarrassment and the latter merely giving an audible 'hmph'. "…She does know that the 'damn elves' are part of my clan, and it would be nigh impossible to 'forge' them, right?"

"And I think I already went 'crazy' last chapter…" Raven added.

"But she still loves you guys!" Aisha chirped as the room filled with the delicious aroma of cooking dumplings. "Miss **Rosamanelle **just wants you guys to live happily ever after~ and everyone is loving this story!"

Rena sighed, letting the paper flutter onto the table. "I want to live 'happily ever after', too…but it's all up to _her_. And from how she's writing, I feel it's not going to end well for any of us." She smiled sadly. "Though I am delighted that we received such positive feedback; I didn't know we would be one of the most favoured stories of all time."

"Well, that's that." Elsword got up, stretching his arms. "Time for dinner. At least the dumplings have meat…thank the gods we're not eating a grass field again…"

Thankfully, the Archer pretended not to hear the last part, although she made a mental note to make Elsword's meal particularly unpleasant the next time she cooked. As the others made their way to the kitchen where a cheery Ara was waving them over, the elf felt his arms wind around her from behind. "Raven?"

"Even if it doesn't end well for us…I won't ever give up on you. So I'll keep fighting."

She turned her head and gave his scarred face a chaste, sweet kiss. "So will I. I'll make sure we have a happily ever after." She nudged his head playfully as they walked to the table, where everyone was waiting…and giving them mischievous, knowing looks at their rare but tender display of affection.

_End_


	7. Your Smile Brightens My World

Was I sorely missed? Probably, seeing the reviews, haha.

Unfortunately, this story is now nearing its end. Is that sad? Yes, perhaps. I, who never played Elsword, have published a story that everyone seems to like. But to think it would be liked so much! This story, worthy of its title, will always make me smile, and feel a bit sad at the same time.

I'm glad everyone liked the Review chapter. However, no more till the end, my dears! I'm sure most of you are more interested in the story, so I will do a huge compilation of reviews at the last chapter. So if you want the members of Elsword to read your reviews, review the last chapter! (Sounds like shameless advertising, ugh. It's not, I promise.) But thank you to...

Lady Yumi, this is a real chapter now~

Lady Trickster, your support is always so dear,

Lady YuYuYu, I might be disappointing you a bit...

Lady Lillith, your compliments shame me~

Lady/Sir Milana, no, Poland is quite far from Canada, and your support is dearly appreciated,

Lady Moon, 파이팅! 고마워요~

Lady/Sir Dino, perhaps you can make the anime~

Lady/Sir Nope, I will stick with this story till the end, thank you for doing the same!

I, He-Jay, am perpetually grateful to you all (even the haters) for reading my story. Please stick with me till the last chapter, even if the quality deteriorates!

* * *

She dashed forward and flipped up into the air, panic increasing her speed as she nocked an arrow. The hasty incantation she whispered illumined the shaft into a vibrant shade of gold as she fired with a prayer.

The projectile flew, its tip crackling with radiant energy. 'Raven' caught the shaft between his fingers with a swipe, his hand scrunching into a fist as the shaft shattered in his grasp. In that moment, he failed to notice another arrow fly past, the arrowhead hissing with an icy energy as it glowed a vibrant cobalt. 'Raven' grit his teeth as he realized Rena's true objective; her Freeze Arrow, having gone by unnoticed, now struck the heart of the fire that entrapped Eve, freezing the blaze—and the Nasod Empress—in a beautifully horrifying image suspended in a layer of frost.

Ice lined the form of the queen in a thick ice-fire picture. Rena landed back on the ground, barely relieved that her diversion trick worked. Eve could withstand temperatures better than humans, but it would be folly to think she would survive encased in ice perpetually, despite it protecting her from further burning. But if she freed Eve now, he would go after the queen again…

"Just wait, okay?" She murmured, hoping that the empress could hear. Rena could feel 'Raven' looking at her with a piercing gaze, but she wasn't quite ready to face him fully, not just yet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eve's Nasod servants lying near the middle of the clearing, their faintly buzzing parts indicating that there was still a chance to save them.

With a bone-chilling peal of mirthless laughter, 'Raven' swung his fiery blade towards the Archer.

She fought off the sword, 'Raven' reeling back a little in surprise at her unexpected strength. She did not pursue as she retreated back, getting a firm grasp on Oberon, knocked out cold. She felt bits of metal fall off his helm; hopefully it wasn't anything the Nasod empress couldn't fix…

At this, 'Raven' wore an expression of utmost contempt; the elf-girl was attempting to save the traitors? And to think elves were supposedly a species dedicated to honour and pride!

He could have plunged forward, ripped the traitor out of her hands, crush it beyond recognition…how would she like that? What expression would the little elf-girl make if he ripped them apart right before her eyes? But while he was at it, why couldn't he have a little fun with her? He looked towards the other Nasod traitor, the pink one, sprawled with broken circuitry crackling out of odd places as she blinked towards Eve.

Having dragged Oberon into a pocket of foliage that offered sufficient cover, Rena quickly turned, her expression contorting into one of horror as she saw 'Raven' holding Ophelia by her white headpiece with the Nasod Arm, his blade pressing onto her neck. The corrupted Nasod enjoyed her distraught expression for a few moments before her eyes steeled over. Rena nocked another arrow, its point aimed at him.

"Drop her." She wished her voice had more edge to it. She meant to sound confident, without hesitation, but her voice came out barely shaking, like her fingers that held the bowstring. Would she really shoot this man?_ Could_ she?

He cocked his head, as if she had said something vaguely amusing. His mouth distorted into a twisted grin that showed hiss sharp teeth as he dug his blade further into Ophelia's neck, the white metal cracking under the pressure. He grinned at Rena, silently daring her to shoot.

"Leave her out of this! Raven, you don't want to hurt her!" Despite her best efforts, her arm began to tremble from keeping the bowstring taut for too long. Her eyes desperately searched for some sign of the fierce but gentle man that swore that they would be together, finding nothing.

Raven? Who was Raven? He might as well be dead for all she knew. Raven was gone, all but mere footsteps in the dust. His soul was sealed away in the deepest darkest corners, just like it had for so long.

_Objective: Destroy the elf-girl that helped the Nasod traitors…who looks like S…who is my…_

The Nasod Arm sizzled with heat as it struggled to retain in control. The elf-girl was the cause of all these minor malfunctions! The remnants of the former soul, despite being locked away, still reacted to the elf-girl's name and voice. She was a threat to it, and all of the true Nasods! If she was destroyed, the real Raven would have nothing to fight for, nothing to save. Her death would mean complete freedom for the Nasod Arm.

_No. Like Hell I'll let you ever do that!_

_Primary Objective: Erase the elf-girl from the planes of existence._

The internal struggle of Raven did not go unnoticed by Rena, who saw the sliver of hesitance in his posture and the variety of emotions that splayed across his face. She knew it! She knew it all along. Raven wouldn't have subjected himself so easily to the Arm which he swore to protect her with. Clutching the small shard of hope in her heart, she advanced slowly, like one would with a venomous snake.

"I know you're there." The voice came out soft and soothing. "You can hear me, right? Raven?"

'Raven' turned towards her, his eyes still lacking the warm gold that had gazed into hers only days before. From the corner of her eye, she saw his grip on Ophelia tighten, the sound of splintering metal jarring he back to her senses. Rescuing Raven was important, but that was a mission only she could do. Aisha and Elsword would come in time and hopefully take the others to safety. Chung had been knocked unconscious, but he was still a safe distance away. Eve was safe…for the moment. She had to get Ophelia away…how? Then it hit her.

"Ophelia!" Rena shouted.

The female Nasod servant's visual receptors blinked several times, her systems responding to the name. It took a while for her to realize the predicament she was, suspended in the air by a mechanical arm that could burst into flames at any given moment with a blade pressed to her neck. But like her empress, she did not allow herself to be overwhelmed by panic as she calmly awaited further instructions. But…her mistress? Where was her queen? It was impossible to see or turn her head.

"Eve is fine!" Rena yelled, assuring her. "But you have to listen to me. Just trust me, okay?"

The Nasod blinked, making sure her hearing mechanisms had not erred. Had her queen relinquished authority to Lady Rena? Empress Eve would never have done that…unless she was in terrible danger. Lady Rena was good to her queen and her friends. Of course she would be the first person her Lady would turn to. She blinked in affirmation. Parts of her circuitry were badly damaged and her systems were showing multiple errors, but that mattered little if her queen was in jeopardy.

Concentrating hard, Rena focused a small green sphere into her palm. The orb still in hand, she charged towards 'Raven', her foot swinging back for a reflective kick. A surprised 'Raven' only had time to blink as Rena purposely dodged past him, slamming the green orb into the ground. As he turned, the elf yanked on one of his many belts dangling on his side with a force just enough to make him stagger back, his weight automatically activating the 'Entangle' trap Rena had learned as a Sniping Ranger.

The trap was not lethal, but the leaves that spiraled around him had annoyingly sharp edges. The distraction was enough for him to loosen his grip on Ophelia, whereupon Rena called out, "Now, Ophelia! _Spitfire!_"

And that moment marked the first time ever a Nasod responded to the command of an elf.

It might not have worked. Ophelia's central core processor, which carried her main power source, had miraculously survived, but her offensive mechanisms were weakened considerably. Had she been composed of less adequate built, the power would have over heated her already-frayed circuitry, shattering her frame.

The resulting shock was not lethal, but enough to topple 'Raven' over backwards. In that precious few seconds, Ophelia wrenched herself from her captor, landing lightly in front of Rena as her expression became distraught at the sight of her empress. And where was Master Chung? Where was Oberon? Was her empress going to be all right? Where were the others? What was going to become of the being that was once Master Raven? What—

"Calm down!" Rena put her hands gently but firmly on the android's shoulders. "Panicking gets us nowhere. I'm sure you learned that from Oberon. Get Oberon and Chung out of here. I will ensure that Eve is unharmed. She's safe for now, and I don't want you near Raven."

Ophelia looked like she wanted to argue, but thought better of it. Bowing in thanks for rescuing her, pink energy glowed around her as she disappeared to find her fellow Nasod servant and the human she still felt guilt for the 'haircut'. **[See Chapter 2]**

As soon as Ophelia was gone, Rena flung herself to the left, deftly avoiding a flaming black sword that embedded the spot she had been a millisecond ago. She turned to face the perpetrator, whose face was etched with a crazy grin and no sense on reason. It seemed that he had also lost the power of human speech, as all that came out of his mouth were animalistic growls and inhumane cries for blood that shot out to the unresponsive darkness.

"Raven." She said weakly. _I know I cannot fight you…_The most she could do is lead him away from here, and find a way to repress him. Why didn't he_ tell _her?

The Nasod Arm responded by bursting into flames. Its host was fighting for control, all for this _elf?_ This _elf_…if she lived, its human host would continue to fight and be distracted; to seal this Raven into the deepest corners of the mind, his ties to all this would have to be severed.

**Objective: Annihilation.**

'Raven' (because it was not really Raven, but the Nasod Arm controlling his physical body, it was 'Raven') slammed his mechanical arm into the ground, causing the earth to tremble. But this time, it was no mere earthquake; Rena felt the ground crack as fissures erupted, cracking across the terrain. She neatly dodged the crevices that seemed to veer towards her.

He got up, locked eyes on his prey.

It was time to hunt down the last target.

* * *

_Dammit, let me go! _Restrained by the confines of his mind, betrayed by his own body, the tiny sliver of Raven's old consciousness held on with amazing tenacity, screaming for release._ You will pay for this!_

In the tumult of his fury at the loss of control, he also felt anger at himself. Guilt. Regret. Sorrow. Horror. Shame.

Anger at himself for not being strong enough.

Guilt that he couldn't have done better, done more to keep himself from becoming this.

Regret that he didn't take those pills all for the sake of self-pride and power.

Sorrow that his comrades had suffered because of his foolishness.

Horror that he was fighting the very person—elf—that he had sworn to protect, to not let her go the same path as his former beloved.

Shame that he was never going to be able to tell her how sorry he was and how he had always…

_No!_ He screamed, a voice lost to nothing._ I _won't_ lose! Get away from me! Run!_

* * *

His back was to the fissure that still gaped wide as he yelled gleefully, having finally struck.

She staggered away, holding her bow with one hand while grasping her left side with the other, where warm red was spreading, staining her dress. But the pain that grew with the blemish only felt dim as she stared up, seeing the Nasod contraption covered in flecks of scarlet, bits of white fabric dangling on the claws, and not wanting to believe. Her legs felt frozen as she tried hard to accept the shock.

He wasn't coming back.

With one swipe, he snatched her bow from her hand. Under her startled eyes, he used the Arm to snap it into two, throwing the pieces aside. He then looked at her, grinning, like a bad child that knew he wasn't going to be punished. And she could only stare back at him, still in that blank, unresponsive shock. No thoughts of anger came, there were no enraging feelings of revenge, or even the need to save herself. In that instant of time, she understood without thinking, the revelation numbing, yet oddly reassuring…

She had to die.

When she looked up, 'Raven' expected her to be crying and pleading. Stupid sentient elves always thought that they were better than every other race, didn't they? It would be so much fun to have her begging for mercy, imploring for its former host that would soon be completely vanquished, only a faint wisp remaining to prove that the human conscience ever existed. It would tear her apart, see the sea of blood that gushed forth, only fuelling the bloodshed further for the Nasods…

_Please smile._

But the elf wasn't sobbing and begging. She wasn't even crying, not even a faint trace of a tear…?!

She was smiling.

Slowly, she took one step, then another. With the amount of blood that was coming from her side, she should be in excruciating pain, but she was _smiling._ Her face lit up like the sun, she came towards him, peacefully. Like she still believed that there was a part of the man she loved in those white, terrible eyes.

She seemed to be saying something. Raising a bloodstained gloved hand, she reached to caress his face, his scars, like she had done before so many times.

_Your smile always brightens my world._

It was **disgusting.**

With a hellish sneer, he jabbed for her wounded side. The flimsy cloth and soft flesh easily yielded, spurting precious blood and igniting her pitiful form on fire. Before she could turn around, he kicked at her, raking her unprotected back with more enflamed claws and shoving her past him, into the waiting fissure behind him.

He wasn't supposed to turn around.

But he saw the trail of blood that followed the falling elf as she slowly descended into the darkness, the yawning void. He thought he caught a glimpse of her face, before she was completely swallowed by the nothing.

Was she still smiling?

_I'll keep smiling, too, just for you._

She was always smiling.

So why did his vision blur, with this wetness streaming down his face?

The trees shook as an otherworldly scream exploded through the branches, echoed by the unsympathetic mountains beyond.

_Don't leave me…_

* * *

Perhaps this was unavoidable. Pain lanced through her side, her back, her entire being, but she continued to smile as she plummeted. Her Grand Archer hairpins undone, golden hair plastered to her face as she went down, down, and down.

She was still smiling.

If somebody asked this bloody, broken elf, _Do you regret all that has transpired? _

_Do you wish to have selected another path?_

What would she have said?


End file.
